Hunting and Trapping Newsletter

New Opportunity for Big Game Hunters to Use Rifles in Onondaga County this Hunting Season

At the end of July, Governor Hochul signed a bill into law allowing big game hunters to use rifles in Onondaga County. The change will take effect this coming hunting season and DEC is working to make hunters aware. DEC’s Rifle, Shotgun, and Bow Areas webpage  and online Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide (PDF) (see page 24) have been updated to reflect this change. Use of rifles for big game hunting remains restricted in Erie, Niagara, Monroe, Dutchess, Putnam, and Rockland Counties. Suffolk, Westchester, and portions of Albany and Monroe Counties remain bow only.

DEC’s deer population objective for Wildlife Management Unit 7J (the unit that covers the southern portion of Onondaga County) is to decrease the deer population to be in better balance with available habitat and public preference for deer population size. Several communities in Onondaga County also have active deer management programs meant to reduce deer impacts. Rifles are more efficient than other hunting implements for achieving these objectives.

No increases in hunting related safety incidents have been documented by DEC as county-level restrictions on use of rifles for big game hunting have been lifted. The 2021 and 2022 hunting seasons were the safest ever recorded (PDF) by DEC. Still, even one hunting related safety incident is too many and DEC encourages all hunters to remain vigilant by practicing the 4 rules of firearm safety:

1. treat every firearm as if it is loaded;
2. always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction;
3. keep your finger off the trigger, and outside the trigger guard, until you are ready to shoot; and
4. always be sure of your target and what is in front of and behind it.

Next Step Firearms Courses 

Have you already received your hunter education certificate but don’t quite feel ready to go hunting on your own? Want to strengthen your firearms skills, techniques, and safety? Then a Next Step Shotgun or Rifle Course is what you need. Next Step courses are only four hours long and you will get lots of hands-on experience in handling and shooting firearms. There are several Next Step firearms courses already scheduled for this fall. If you don’t see one near you, check back often as courses are always being added.  

All Next Step courses are free, you will need your hunter education certificate number, and registration is required Outdoor Recreation Event Registration (register-ed.com) 

If you are interested in a Next Step course but don’t see a course topic you are interested in or you don’t see one in your area, email us at hunter@dec.ny.gov and let us know.   

Next Step Trapping Courses 

Are you a new trapper who wants to learn more about traps and techniques from an experienced and skilled trapper? Do you want more experience setting and packing traps? Then a Next Step Land Trapping or Water Trapping course is what you need. There are a few Next Step trapping courses already on the schedule for this fall. If you don’t see one offered in your area, check back as courses are always being added.    

All Next Step courses are free. You will need your trapper education certificate number, and registration is required Outdoor Recreation Event Registration (register-ed.com) 

If you are interested in a Next Step course but don’t see a course topic you are interested in or you don’t see one in your area, email us at hunter@dec.ny.govand let us know.   

Download the HuntFishNY Mobile App Today!

HuntFishNY is the official New York State Department of Environmental Conservation mobile app that provides our sportsmen/women a simple way to display their licenses and privileges and view important hunting and fishing related information; the ease of reporting your game harvests immediately; and links to useful information like season date summaries, fishing information, a DEC Contact list, and much more.

HuntFishNY features include:

• Instant, Mobile Access to Your Sporting Licenses, Privileges and Permits
• Quick And Easy Submission of Game Harvest Reports
• Links To Current Year Hunting & Trapping and Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guides
• Sunrise/Sunset Information and Season Date Summaries
• Fishing Information, Including the New Tackle Box Feature!
• DEC Contact list, and much more!

Attention iOS users: A recent change in app developer ownership created an issue in the HuntFishNY mobile app for iOS users that was causing the app to crash upon launch. An update to the app was released on 8/21/23 that resolved the issue.

iOS users who had previously installed HuntFishNY on their phones will need to update the app to the most recent version.

For those users who have automatic updates turned on, the app should update on its own. For users who have automatic updates turned off, you will need to go into the App Store and tap on the Update button to manually update the app. 

If you are experiencing issues logging into the app, and for all other technical issues, please call the DECALS call center at 866-933-2257 or email DEC staff at FW.Information@dec.ny.gov.

The app is available through the Apple App Store or Google Play!  For information on HuntFishNY, please visit our website.